(13a) Prediction of Corrosion in Pipes | AIChE

(13a) Prediction of Corrosion in Pipes

Authors 

Nicola, S. S. - Presenter, Texas A&M at Qatar
Mannan, D. M. S. - Presenter, Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center
Carreto, V. H. - Presenter, Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center, Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering
Mentzer, D. R. A. - Presenter, Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center, TAMU


ABSTRACT

AIChE Spring 2012 Meeting

Prediction of
Corrosion in Pipes

Sally Nicola, Victor Carreto, Ray A.
Mentzer, M. Sam Mannan

Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center, Texas A&M University

sally.nicola@neo.tamu.edu

Corrosion is one of the
most important mechanical integrity issues the petrochemical industry has to
deal with. While significant research has been dedicated to studying the
mechanisms of the different kinds of corrosion, methods to avoid it, and
methods to monitor, it is still the leading cause of pipeline failure in the
oil and gas industry. Not only is it the main contributor to maintenance costs,
but also it accounts for about 15-20% of releases from the petrochemical industry
and 80% of pipeline leaks. Moreover, enormous costs are directed towards fixing
corrosion in facilities across the globe every year. In 2004, PHMSA reported
that 258 natural gas accidents took place due to corrosion in pipelines. It has
caused some of the worst accidents in the history of the industry, such as the
Carlsbad pipeline explosion of 2000, and it is still causing more accidents
every year. This shows that the problem is still not clearly understood, and
that the methods that are being used to control it are not sufficient.

A number of methods to
detect corrosion exist; however, each one of them has shortcomings that make them inapplicable in some conditions, or generally, not accurate
enough. This work focuses on developing a new method to detect corrosion under
insulation. This method needs to overcome at least some of the shortcomings
shown by the commercial methods currently used, which include ultrasound, real
time radiography, and pulsed eddy current testing. The main method considered
in this project is X-ray computed tomography. While similar to real-time
radiography, this method has a much higher resolution, as evident from medical
applications. It also has the capability to give a 3D image of the specimen,
showing exactly where the corrosion is located, and its extent.  

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